Prabowo Targets One Million Houses This Year, Prepares 10 New Integrated Cities for Workers

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto has revealed his ambition to build 10 new cities, each equipped with around 100,000 units of workers’ flats (rusun). “I have planned that we will build new cities. Each city might consist of 100,000 houses. 100,000 flats,” Prabowo explained in his speech at the International Labour Day commemoration near the Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan area in Jakarta on Friday (1/5/2026). This programme forms part of the government’s target to construct at least 1 million houses starting this year. In his speech, Prabowo stated that the need for affordable housing for labourers is one of the government’s key focuses. Therefore, housing construction will be directed towards areas close to industrial centres and workers’ job locations. He noted that the development concept will not only provide houses but also integrated residential areas equipped with various supporting facilities. According to him, the government will ensure that these areas have educational facilities, sports amenities, healthcare services, and childcare to support workers’ family needs. “I have ordered that there must be schools, there must be sports facilities, there must be daycare, there must be hospitals, and most importantly, there must be transportation,” he said. Prabowo added that public transportation such as light rail and buses will be prepared so that workers can reach their workplaces easily and efficiently. Additionally, labourers holding certain cards are planned to receive special discounted transportation fares. The housing construction programme is also claimed to be a solution to the high cost of house rentals that labourers have borne so far. “Later, we will ensure that you will own that house. So, the 30 percent previously for rent will be reduced; that is for you to instalment your own house,” he clarified. To facilitate home ownership, the government is preparing long instalment tenors ranging from 20 to 40 years. Furthermore, Prabowo mentioned that he has instructed state-owned banks to disburse people’s credit with a maximum interest rate of 5 percent per year. “Imagine, one house requires 5 workers, meaning each year we could create millions of jobs,” Prabowo stated.